Newark Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 50th anniversary season

There
are numerous exciting events planned to celebrate the Newark Symphony
Orchestra’s 50th anniversary season, but don’t ask Concertmaster
Serban Petrescu to select just one as a favorite. To Petrescu, the
upcoming season will be filled with high notes.

“I
think they are all special,” he explained during an interview in
September.

Petrescu
is entering his 11th season with the symphony. He said that each
music director he has worked with has pushed the boundaries for the
music further. Maestro Simeone Tartaglione, the current music
director, has brought lots of enthusiasm and new ideas, Petrescu
said.

“He’s
expanded the orchestra’s reach by doing concerts with different
choirs,” Petrescu explained.

The
Newark Symphony Orchestra has built its reputation for excellence
since it debuted in 1966 under music director Harley Hastings. The
orchestra performs at least eight concerts each season, including
four concerts that are in the Symphony Series, which features a
themed program that mixes familiar repertoire with exciting new
orchestral gems.

The
50th anniversary season will present an extended opportunity for even
more new ideas, collaborations, and inventiveness. The season-opening
concert takes place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30 at The Independence
School in Newark. The performance features the Mozart Sinfonia
Concertante with Petrescu on violin, and Philipe Chao on viola as
soloists. That will be followed with a performance of Gustav Holst’s
“The Planets.” The Newark Symphony Orchestra will be joined by
the Delaware Music School Women’s Chorus, with Joanne Ward as
director and the University Singers, with Duane Cottell as director.
The show's stunning visual effects will be the work of Giovanni
Ciranni.

Next,
at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, a chamber concert featuring music
by women composers, including Fanny Mendelssohn, Jennifer Campbell,
Tai Sakamoto, is scheduled to take place at the Newark United
Methodist Church. The performance will be a celebration of women's
genius, and features guest conductor Rebekah O'Brien.

Love
for and dedication to the music have been constants in the
organization's history. The Newark Symphony Orchestra currently
includes about 80 performing musicians who have a wide variety of
musical experiences and backgrounds who are united by their shared
love of classical music.

Mikki
Senn, a French horn player who is serving as the co-chair of the 50th
anniversary celebration, noted that the symphony has been around
since 1966, but has only had three different conductors in its
history. Harley Hastings, the first conductor, served from 1966 to
1982. Professional conductor Roman Pawlowski is credited with raising
the Newark Symphony's musical horizons to levels not usually achieved
by a volunteer orchestra during his tenure from 1982 to 2009.

“There
are no auditions,” Senn explained. “We self-sort by the
challenging nature of the music. Many sections rotate who takes the
lead—we are very democratic that way. Our current maestro, Simeone
Tartaglione, believes we have the heart of a community orchestra, but
the skills of a minor professional group.”

Two
of the longtime members are Phil and Carolyn Fuhrman, who have been
involved for more than four decades. Phil, who plays the violin,
started performing with the Newark Symphony in the spring of 1974.
Carolyn, who plays the cello, joined the orchestra in the fall of
1976 when she and Phil were first dating. They've both been very
involved with the symphony through the years, including stints as the
president of the board of directors.

“I
served on the board from 1982 to 1992, eight of those years as
recording secretary,” Carolyn explained. “Phil then served on the
board for two years before becoming the president of the board in
July of 2012. He served for two years, and I was the vice president
during his term. I then became president in July of 2014 and served
for two years.”

Carolyn
talked about the close connection that her family has for the
orchestra, including the rehearsals that take place on Tuesday
nights.

“Tuesday
nights have been sacred—our night out—from the very start,” she
explained. “I missed one concert for the birth of each of our sons.
One of the best things has been watching our youngest son (Mordecai
Samuel Fuhrman) develop, and surpass us, as a musician. He started
playing in the percussion section of the orchestra when he was 10,
and played with us through high school and after. He now has a degree
in percussion performance and a master's degree and artist diploma in
orchestral conducting. He also does some arranging. He will be
guest-conducting a piece he arranged during our December concert.”

That
concert takes place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11 at The Independence
School. Mordecai Samuel Fuhrman will orchestrate and guest-conduct
the performance of Shostakovich Prelude & Fugue in D minor. This
program also includes Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and
Christmas Carols with the Symphony Festival Chorus.

The
celebration of the 50th anniversary season continues into
2017. On February 11, a chamber concert is slated to take place that
will honor Black History Month.

Two
winners of the NSO Youth Concerto Competition will perform at a
symphony concert on March 5. The concert concludes with Tchaikovsky’s
Suite from Swan Lake Ballet featuring the Delaware Dance Company. The
Newark Symphony supports music education and outreach in northern
Delaware in a variety of ways, including annual youth concerto
competitions. The winners in both the college and high school
divisions perform with the orchestra.

On
March 11, the symphony orchestra celebrates its 50th anniversary with
a gala event held at the Newark Country Club. The night will include
live music, dancing, food, and a silent auction.

Senn
said that the gala is the one event that she is looking forward to
the most during the season.

“If
pressed, I would point to our 50th anniversary gala,”
she explained. “I choose that because...so many of our celebrations
are protracted and will go on into the future, while this is a
one-shot event full of fun, glitter, food, music, and dancing. What's
not to love there?”

Indeed,
the gala, which takes place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., will feature a
live waltz orchestra, hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, a silent auction,
and more. It is open to the public.

“The
main goal is an evening of elegant fun,” Senn explained. “The
silent auction component is for fundraising to support the orchestra
in general, and our celebration of the 50th year in
particular. We are, after all, a non-profit.”

Newark
Symphony Orchestra members said that they are appreciative of all the
support the organization has received through the years. As a
non-profit organization, the Newark Symphony depends on support from
local residents, Delaware arts foundations and corporations, and
other sponsors.

The
Friends of the Newark Symphony Orchestra provides additional
volunteer and fundraising support. The board of directors of the
organization is comprised of local citizens, business leaders, arts
advocates, and orchestra musicians.

The
first important post-gala event will take place when the symphony
orchestra celebrates Music in the Schools Month with a chamber
concert on at the First Presbyterian Church of Newark on March 25.
Admission will be $5 per family.

On
May 14, the All Beethoven Symphony Concert, featuring Overture to the
Creatures of Prometheus, followed by Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op.
125 , will take place. Soloists for this performance are Sharon
Christman, soprano; Suzanne DuPlant, mezzo-soprano; Rick Christman,
tenor, and Jeffrey Martin, bass.

Senn
said that everyone involved with the orchestra is excited about the
upcoming season because it will be “full of fantastic music and
learning events we have never tried before.”

The
50th anniversary season is not only an opportunity for the
Newark Symphony Orchestra to celebrates its milestone, but it is also
an opportunity to thank everyone who has supported the symphony's
efforts since 1966.

Emily
Tan, who plays the violin and also serves as a co-chair of the 50th
anniversary celebration, said that she is looking forward to the gala
and the final concert of the season in May of 2017 the most, even
though there are many interesting events happening at the concerts
throughout the entire season.

“I'm
excited about the last concert of the season because it will be a
culmination of the 50th year when we play Beethoven's 9th Symphony
and present the ultimate show of community engagement and camaraderie
through music,” she said.

Roxie
Rust, the business manager for the Newark Symphony Orchestra, said
that tickets for any of the events coming up during the special
anniversary season can be purchased by calling 302-369-3466 or
visiting www.newarksymphony.org. Tickets are also usually also
available at the door on the day of the concert.

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